Nine games. Zero wins. Five points from a possible 27.
Melbourne City may have finished top of the table at season’s end – but to become Champions, Patrick Kisnorbo’s side must overcome at least two teams from the top four.
Behind City in the top four came Melbourne Victory, Western United and Adelaide United. City haven’t beaten any of those three teams all season.
Before even contemplating a date with either Western or Victory in the Grand Final, City will take on the Reds in a two-legged semifinal.
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The first will take place at Coopers Stadium – the venue where City have twice thrown away a 2-1 lead on this season with goals scored in the 84th minute and beyond in two seperate draws early in the campaign.
The first was settled by a Ben Halloran blinder. The winger since departed to K League 1 side FC Seoul benefited from a mixup in defence to pick City’s pocket and lob goalkeeper Tom Glover from a tight angle.
Paramount+ co-commentator Andy Harper described the moment as a “monumental muck-up from Melbourne City”.
READ: Neds Semifinal Preview – What you need to know
MORE: Run for it: How Melbourne City plotted to stay ahead of the pack
That result came in November; less than two months later City arrived on Adelaide’s doorstep once more – and again it was the visitors rescinding a one-goal lead late on.
This time it was Hiroshi Ibusuki making it 2-2, squeezing a close-range strike through a number of bodies after former Reds captain Stefan Mauk’s header from Craig Goodwin’s corner delivery stung the palm of Glover.
But when it came to denying City points, the Reds did it best in February, travelling to AAMI Park to stun the reigning Champions on their own turf.
Jamie Maclaren put City ahead in the 11th minute, but Javi Lopez struck back to send the two teams into the break on level terms.
In the latter stages of the game, Reds boss Carl Veart inserted Mohamed Toure into the action. He would proceed to snatch all three points at the death, gambling on a back-pass from Carl Jenkinson to take possession ahead of Glover and slide an 85th-minute winner into the back of the net.
On Wednesday night, the semifinal battle between these two top four sides begins. Should City be ahead in either leg, Kisnorbo and his players will all be fully aware that their opponents are down, but not out.
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